Government Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has dismissed the renewed debate over President John Dramani Mahama’s alleged third-term ambition, describing it as propaganda orchestrated by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).
According to him, President Mahama has consistently maintained that he has no intention of seeking a third term in office, stressing that there has never been any ambiguity regarding the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits.
Speaking on Face to Face on Channel One TV on Tuesday, August 4, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu said the third-term narrative was introduced by the NPP during the 2024 general election campaign after the party realized it was heading for defeat.
“What happened was that in the heat of the 2024 elections, the NPP somehow saw that all was lost. So they came up with this very desperate bit of propaganda about the third term. But it was never really an issue,” he stated.
He emphasized that President Mahama has publicly rejected any suggestion of pursuing another presidential term, citing remarks the President made both on international and local platforms.
“President Mahama has been clear on it. It was on an international platform in Singapore; he said so. About three weeks ago, he said the same,” Mr. Kwakye Ofosu noted.
The Government Spokesperson acknowledged that the ongoing case before the Supreme Court seeking an interpretation of the constitutional provisions on presidential term limits could provide additional legal clarity. However, he insisted that the government’s understanding of the Constitution remains straightforward.
“Maybe the Supreme Court will bring further clarity to them. But as far as we are concerned, it’s very clear. And there’s no doubt about it,” he said.
The debate over a possible third-term bid has resurfaced following legal proceedings before the Supreme Court seeking clarification on provisions of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution relating to presidential term limits.
Despite the renewed public discussion, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu maintained that there is no indication President Mahama has changed his position.
“There’s no indication, as of now, that President Mahama has changed his mind on the matter,” he stressed.
His comments come amid heightened public and political interest in the Supreme Court’s pending interpretation of the constitutional provisions governing presidential tenure, with government insisting that President Mahama remains committed to respecting the Constitution and has no third-term ambition.
